Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule

Let’s just get something out in the open right away. These are not your typical sweet muffin. These little guys might even classify as more of a savory treat. I like them that way, and so did my taste testers, but if you’re looking for a sweet muffin recipe, this isn’t it. My muffins are adapted from this recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf. If you’re looking for something sweet, you should definitely check out that recipe. Read more…

Let’s just get something out in the open right away. These are not your typical sweet muffin. These little guys might even classify as more of a savory treat.

I made these muffins a little healthier by using mostly wheat flour, cutting out the white sugar and reducing the amount of chocolate chips. The flavor of these muffins is great – deep chocolate complimented by spicy pumpkin. A small sprinkling of mini chocolate chips provides just enough sweetness for me. I don’t like feeling like I’ve eaten a piece of cake for breakfast. With these, I can have my morning muffin and not feel like crap the rest of the day.

Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

Makes 24 muffins. Adapted from this recipe at www.theppk.com.

1/2 c applesauce

4 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil

1 c unsweetened cocoa powder

2/3 c warm brewed coffee

2 c pumpkin or other winter squash puree

1/2 c agave

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 c all purpose flour

3 c whole wheat flour

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 c mini chocolate chips, use regular if you don’t have mini chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two regular sized muffin pans.
In a medium bowl, combine the flours, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir well to combine. In a large bowl mix the applesauce, oil, pumpkin, agave and vanilla. Add in the cocoa powder and warm coffee and stir until completely combined. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, and mix until no traces of the dry flour mixture remain. Fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way and top each one with a small sprinkle of chocolate chips. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. Remove from muffin pan and let cool on a wire rack.